


The Republic's Own

by fortnightsofren



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, rexsoka - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Mild Language, TCW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 22:06:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14482188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortnightsofren/pseuds/fortnightsofren
Summary: An Onderon rebel gets some rather revealing information out of Captain Rex.





	The Republic's Own

_**THE REPUBLIC’S OWN** _

Word Count: 1,034

Era: TCW

Pairings: Rex and Ahsoka

 

If he were honest with himself, Rex was rather annoyed to be helping amateurs on a last minute outcry for help. He’d be all for it if they’d been training for a few months at the least, but a few _days_ was ridiculous. Despite his eagerness to provide example, Rex had little faith that these rebels could pull anything off. He’d discovered though, that he wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Skywalker had said something about it to General Kenobi after Rex had shown the group the basics of detonating, and every failed mock after. Even Ahsoka, modest as she may be, expressed a negative comment about “ill-preparedness”.

However, it wasn’t just the side of the Republic that was annoyed with the presence of the opposition. This he found when a rebel approached him at the end of training day one. A man with lighter skin than Rex’s made way for him, hands tucked into the pockets of his pants. Rex stood in a soldier’s stance and received the man in the formal way he was taught. The Onderon rebel was one that he remembered not performing so well. His black hair was riddled with grease as well as his mustache, if one could term it that. One word came to Rex’s mind at the sight of him: unkept. However, it was frowned upon for the Captain to be so judgemental. It wasn’t even hot outside, and the man didn’t do enough work to break sweat.

Calloused hands pulled on his pockets, “You been fighting for a while, yeah?”

Rex had to process the man’s speech, as it wasn’t what he was used to. When he realized what the rebel had asked, he responded, “Since I was born.”

The shiny black head nodded, “Twenty something years I bet.”

His ignorance almost caused Rex to choke on his own spit. Didn’t the man know he was only eleven? He was quite sure that the entire galaxy knew that the GAR were each grown in tubes. Instead of correcting his mistake, Rex nodded. He’d never been so glad to not have hair. The oil in this man’s hair was qualified for kitchen use.

“Why you fightin’ for the damn Republic if you’re this good?” Oil pryed.

“It’s my acting duty to do so. I do not have a choice…,” Rex explained, trailing off to seek a name.

The shorter man flicked his hair from his eyes, “Baljos.” He recalled that Ahsoka knew a man named Baljos, back on Coruscant. Although, that particular Baljos was much more decent of a man. “I’ve seen your face before, s’why I asked. I’ve seen your face, but not in your armor.” Rex supposed the man was hinting that he’d come across a deserter, much like he had on Saleucami. For lack of slang he didn’t have in Mando’a, Rex termed Baljos a bastard; and the bastard wouldn’t shut up. “With all due respect, you don’t even know the Republic. I can see it because you still choose to fight for it. You’d’ve deserted by now if you were half as monstrous as they were. No, Cap’n _Rex_ fights for a Republic he doesn’t even know. You don’t know the things they’ve done,” the bastard pressed.

A knot formed in the soldier’s throat. He felt as if this stranger were putting him on the spot. He had no right. “I can’t speak for those who have chosen to desert the Republic,” Rex remembered Cut, “and they could be reported if found.”

Baljos continued still, “They murdered my family and my friends; s’why I’m fighting in this damn rebellion. I don’t want any part of the Confederacy or the Republic; neither does anyone here. You’re only on Onderon at the request of Bonteri and Gerrera. No one else agreed to have your lot teach us. The Republic and the Confederacy are identical. One is no better than the other. How can you fight for a Republic you don’t even _know_?”

With anger erupting from his skin, Rex fought himself to not grab hold of Baljos’s collar, or even his neck. He stood aggressively and shot, “I don’t fight for the _damn_ Republic. I may shoot its blasters and win its battles, but I don’t fight for them. I’m a product of theirs and I’m their official property, but I don’t believe a _fucking_ _thing_ that they believe. I don’t agree with them or their methods, but hell, I used to. That was before I realized I loved _her_.” Rex looked over his shoulder at the togrutan girl. She payed him no mind and was busying herself with another rebel. “That’s the Republic I fight for. I fight for her. I fight for the one person I love, despite her beliefs. Even though the Order has her brainwashed, I still fight, but it’s all for her. She believes in it the way I used to. I’m not the person you want to ask about having faith in the Republic, she is.”

Baljos ran an unclean hand through his unclean hair and let out a breath. Rex still maintained his defensive stature and refused to lean away from the man. He almost wanted to wash the oil from the rebel’s hair himself. It was bad enough he had to dumb down his explanation to the unintelligent man. He was sure his usual Mando’a curses wouldn’t ring any kind of bells. The Captain only put the greased man in his place because of his lack of basic knowledge. He’d not know that the militia units and Jedi Knights alike were both barred from independent love; or love in general.

“You don’t fight for the rebellion because you fully adhere to their beliefs and methods. Who are you fighting for if not the rebellion? There’s a person you do it for. I have my reason and you have yours, Baljos,” Rex closed and walked away in what was considered to the Kaminoans as disrespectful.

“The Republic is so corrupt that even its own are deserting them. You may not’ve left them, Rex, but you’ve already abandoned it,” the greased man spat.


End file.
